Wire-tightener.



No. 674,243. I Patented May l4, mm.

a. B. MAY.

WIRE TIGHTENEB.

(Application filed Nov. 27, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT B. MAY, OF STOCKDALE, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

WlRE-TlGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 674,243, dated May 14;, 1901 Application filed November 27. 1900. Serial No. 37,903. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT B. MAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockdale, in the county of Wilson and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Wire Tightener, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in wire-tighteners.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of wire-tighteners and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device adapted to enable the, slack of a wire to be readily taken up at a point between the posts and capable of enabling a wire to be readily stretched to the desired tension.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wire-tightener constructed in accordance with this invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views illustrating the construction of the head of the wrench. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the arrangement of the staple before the wire ties are applied. Fig. 5 is a similar view, the wire'ties being applied.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a wrench or twister consisting of a bar or shank and a head 2, provided at opposite sides of the baror shank with openings 3, adapted to receive the sides or legs 4 of a staple 5, which is designed to straddle a fence-wire, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and to be rotated to twist the wire around it, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. The shank or bar 1 is provided between its ends at a point adjacent to the head 2 with an opening 6, formed by coiling the shank or bar and adapted to receive a lever '7 but theopening may be formed in any other suitable manner, as will be readily apparent. The head projects beyond the shank or rod 1, and the sides or legs of the staple are adapted to extend entirelythrough the head, which is grooved at 8. The shank or bar is designed to be placed against the body of the operator to assist in holding it in position while it is being rotated by the lever 7 to twist the fence-wire. After the operation of twisting the fence-wire around the staple has been completed the wrench or twister may be held by connecting the lever with the fence-wire or with another portion of the fence, or it may be held by the operator. The lever is provided at its ends with hooks 8, either of which is adapted to engage afence-wire to hold the wrench or twister against retrograde rotation. The shanks of the hooks 8 are provided with eyes which are linked into suitable eyes of the ends of the lever. The lever is loosely arranged in the opening of the shank or bar to permit it to be moved longitudinally after a fence-wire has been stretched to the desired tension to position one of the hooks 8 properly for engaging one of the fence-wires, so that the fence-wire being operated on will be held at the desired tension. If the lever were unable to slide in this manner and after the operation of stretching had been completed the hook were arranged at a point between two fence-wires, the wire being operated on would have to be stretched still fur ther or would have to be slackened in order to engage the hook with one of the other fence-wires. After the operation of twisting the fence-wire around the staple has been completed the staple is secured by means of a pair of wire ties 9 and 10, located at opposite sides of the fence-wire and extending longitudinally thereof and passing through the staple. The wire ties are successively applied, and they have their terminals twisted around the fence-wire at opposite sides of the staple, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, and they efiectually hold the staple and prevent the fence-wire from untwisting. After the wire ties have been applied, as above explained, the wrench or twister is readily withdrawn from the outer portions of the legs or sides of the staple.

It will be seen that the wire-tightener is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it forms an efficient mid-wire take-up, and that it will enable a fence-wire to be readily stretched to the desired tension.

What I claim is- 1. A Wire-tightener comprising a twister provided with a head adapted to receive a staple and having an opening, and a lever loosely arranged in the opening of the twister and provided at its ends with means for engaging the fence-wire, whereby thetwister is temporarily held against rotation, said lever being adapted to slide longitudinally to extend it at either side of the Wire-tightener, substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

2. A Wire-tightener comprising a bar or shank, a head having openings located beyond the bar or shank and adapted to receive the sides or legs of a staple, and a lever loosely connected with the shank or bar and adapted to slide longitudinally to extend it at either side of the wire-tightener and provided with means for engaging a fence-wire, snl'lstantially as described.

3. A \vire-tightener comprising a Wrench or twister provided with a head adapted to receive a staple, and a lever loosely connected with the twister at a point between the ends thereof and adapted to slide longitudinally to extend it to either side of the wire-tightener and provided at its ends with means for engaging a fence-Wire, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT B. MAY.

itnesses:

H. S. CHILDRESS, NAT GARRETT. 

